Chapter 145: Stargazer's Third Death
[During their date, walking and laughing along the way, the Captain and Stargazer encountered the craftsman with the black umbrella that Rita and Theresa had mentioned.
The Captain and Stargazer only found it novel, unaware of anything amiss. Then, a single remark from the Captain planted an idea in Stargazer's mind—to create a "sky lantern" that could fly like a bird. When the Captain asked why, Stargazer simply replied that it was an old promise from the past. After purchasing and gathering some materials, Stargazer and the Captain arrived at a beautiful spot and began crafting the lantern. Soon, the lantern was completed. Stargazer then asked the Captain to write his wish on it, telling him to take his time while she went to the Thousand Stars Pavilion to fetch some ink and brushes. The Captain naturally wanted to accompany her, but Stargazer refused with a smile, saying that carrying the lantern would be inconvenient and that she would return quickly. With a light chuckle, Stargazer crossed the wooden bridge and disappeared down the bamboo-lined path.]
[March 7th]:"A promise from a thousand years ago… Even I, just watching this, had almost forgotten. Yet Stargazer still remembers~"
[Raiden Mei]:"The Captain's feelings for Stargazer run too deep. Even if she had to wait countless more years, she would never forget."
[Silver Wolf]:"Oh no… I have a bad feeling about this. Don't forget, Gray Serpent—the suspected mastermind—is still in Huangyue City. Is it really safe for Stargazer to go back alone?"
[Stelle]:"Don't scare me like that!"
[Fu Hua]:"Though the likelihood of Gray Serpent acting in such a crowded place is low, we still don't know his true objective, making it impossible to prepare countermeasures."
[The Captain held the sky lantern, carefully considering his wish as he waited for Stargazer's return. But after waiting for what felt like an eternity with no sign of her, the Captain grew uneasy and decided to head to the Thousand Stars Pavilion to find her.
Following the path back toward the city, he shielded the lantern from being jostled while scanning the crowds for any glimpse of Stargazer. From afar, the lively clamor of the festival echoed through the streets, where towering buildings adorned with radiant lights cast flickering shadows, dozens of lanterns swaying gently in the breeze. And then—
BOOM—!! A series of deafening explosions erupted. Wooden beams collapsed, and in an instant, the Thousand Stars Pavilion was engulfed in flames. Falling embers ignited nearby trees, plunging Huangyue City into an inferno. Shocked, the Captain sprinted toward the city. Thick smoke billowed everywhere—what had been a joyous Qixi Festival mere moments ago had now become a living hell. To recreate the traditional atmosphere of Qixi, all buildings on this street had been constructed from wood—ironically becoming fuel for the spreading disaster. "Stargazer! Rita! Theresa!"
The Captain charged toward the flames like a madman, only to be held back by guards. Burning debris crashed onto him, yet he felt no pain—as if all sensation had been severed. He could neither hear nor feel anything, his mind repeating their names over and over. "...I'll save you! …I'll save you!"]
[Silver Wolf]:"DAMN IT!! Hahaha, I knew it wouldn't be that simple! That bastard Gray Serpent!! AAAAAH!"
[Stelle]:"Silver Wolf's lost it… and so have I! Damn this world!"
[Elysia]:"Why… why did it have to be like this!? The Captain already saved Stargazer… he already saved everyone… why… sobs…" This time, Elysia completely broke down—her eyes stinging as if bricks had struck them.
[Griseo]:"The colors around the Captain… so dark… so hopeless…" Kosma silently shed tears as well, expressionlessly comforting little Griseo.
[Qingque]:"I get it now… Everything just now was so beautiful—that's why it hurts even more! To personally witness something precious being destroyed before your eyes…"
[Raven]:"Tch. Gray Serpent… I'm seriously tempted to blame you for this."
[Gray Serpent]:"...Another world. Not this Gray Serpent's doing."
[According to the guards, a large number of explosives had been discovered—likely planted deliberately.
In an instant, cries for help, shouts of anger, and wails of despair flooded in—yet to the Captain, the world had fallen into eerie silence.
The happy ending he thought he had achieved was obliterated in this explosion. But for him, this wasn't over yet. As long as he could find Little T, there was still a chance to turn things around. Carefully slipping past the guards, the Captain dashed toward the blazing hall. If only he had realized sooner… If only he had stopped Stargazer from returning… If only he had found those explosives… Now all that remained were regrets of what could have been. Guided by memory through the smoke, he finally found Iron Fist. Like a lifeline, he desperately clung to her cold metal fists, ignoring the electric currents surging into his hands. As familiar mechanical sounds echoed in his ears, the Captain steeled his resolve. "This time… I won't let it happen again."
"This time… I will save everyone!"
In his fading vision, a burning beam came crashing down. Amidst the sea of flames, everything turned to ash.]
[Elysia]:"You have to succeed this time, Captain! ♪"
[Silver Wolf]:"Weird… Too weird. Why does Stargazer die three times in accidents? She can't possibly be that unlucky."
[Fu Hua]:"It's almost as if this world itself rejects her existence."
[March 7th]:"Ah! Could it be that Stargazer's death is like a fixed point in many games—something that can't be changed?"
[Raiden Mei]:"But that doesn't quite fit either. The first time, Stargazer, Rita, Fu Hua, and Himeko all died—but the second time, only Stargazer perished while Rita survived."
[Stelle]:"After the Captain left, Rita might have been in danger too. This time, something went wrong in Huang Empire—our focus is here, but incidents could have happened in the other two nations without us knowing."
[Sushang]:"Stelle-bao! Since when did you get so smart!? Studying behind my back?"
[Kiana]:"I don't really get it… Let's just keep watching."
[When the Captain opened his eyes again, he was back in the middle of his date with Stargazer—but now, none of his earlier carefree mood remained. Determined to prevent history from repeating itself, he convinced Stargazer to craft the lantern in the bamboo forest while he rushed straight to the Thousand Stars Pavilion.
There, he found Rita and warned her about the explosives. Naturally skeptical—how could such a heavily guarded place be compromised?—she nonetheless trusted him and immediately began evacuating people while launching an investigation. Though some explosives were indeed found, their scale couldn't possibly account for the previous inferno. Piecing together his memories, the Captain realized—the real explosives were hidden among the sky lanterns! Following his lead, Rita narrowed down the prime suspect: that newly arrived craftsman.]